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Archive for June, 2015

Have you noticed how many articles and news segments, facebook posts and blogs have appeared in the last few months about the phenomenal rise in coloring books for adults?

I have and I’m thrilled that the best kept secret in women’s personal development is now reaching audiences far and wide! I have been creating Mandalas and coloring sheets for women for over 20 years and have seen the tremendously positive impact of coloring first hand!

To celebrate the launch of The Big Girls Little Coloring Book I thought I would share a few of the things that I have learnt about the why part of Coloring for Women and some of the reasons we are seeing such a meteoric rise in coloring books for adults.

1.Coloring is therapeutic. In the words of one of the women in our prison group “I’ve met a lot of psychiatrists and therapists and counsellors who want me to talk about the things that happened in the past but for me, sitting with the coloring book is one of the most peaceful places I go to”.

Coloring a pattern or template is similar to walking a labyrinth. The lines that are followed create a meditative state and within the conformity of those lines, like the labyrinth, the mind and body enter into a soothing meditation that is not confined to or bound by the pattern that is being followed.

2. As children we were very connected to our coloring pencils and often received a coloring book as a gift. In kindergarten we were coloring all the time and then, sometime around junior primary, our colored pencils began to take a back seat to learning processes that were not so much concerned with creativity as academic performance. Many women never found their colored pencils again…until now!

Women are now reclaiming their colored pencils and returning to the fun, relaxing enjoyment of coloring.

3. Many women are tired and exhausted from participating in you can have it all and are now holding down full time jobs as well as running a family full time, pursuing studies and in amongst it “all” are tired, restless and feeling disconnected from their creativity.

Coloring creates a peaceful, personal space that is a form of open eyed meditation. Breathing slows down and the rhythmic movement of the pencils is akin to a mantra that slows the mind and stops its restless chatter.

4. Women experience a great sense of connection and community when they come together to color in circles. This is especially relevant for women who say they are tired of socialising in public spaces and are looking for a return to the Village and the sense of community and belonging that is at the heart of conversation about when the world was a much more simple place.

Gathering in small circles creates a trusting, innovative space where young women and older women can gather. Where we can meet up with friends, make new ones and share food, stories, creativity and laughter together.

These are just a few of the reasons why Women’s Coloring books and Coloring Circles are on the rise.

It has been a pleasure and a great honour to create a coloring book for women that covers topics such as the power of the mind, the nature of patterns in our life and how to tap into that deep well of creativity that we knew so freely and easily as children and, for many women, are re-discovering again through the pages of coloring books for grown ups!

I am deeply grateful for the women in domestic violence shelters, prisons, community health and healing groups who have shared their stories, told me what works and what doesn’t work for them and allowed me to create coloring pages that are like a small labyrinth, a place where the rhythm of the lines and the focused movements of the hands, slows down the busy mind and breathe deeply as the pattern unfolds.